


Trouble in Paradise

by Zappy



Series: Mila Verse [9]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 04:55:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11223768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zappy/pseuds/Zappy
Summary: While Sisko and O'Brien are stranded in Paradise, Julian must deal with an unwanted guest on the station. Who sticks his ridged nose in business that isn't his.





	Trouble in Paradise

Whenever Dukat visited the station it was always bound to be an unpleasant day. The fact that _both_ Commander Sisko and Chief O’Brien were missing did not help matters in the slightest. If even Major Kira were there, it might have been better, because then Dukat likely would have been shoved out the nearest airlock.

But as both Kira and Dax were out looking at the runaway Rio Grande hoping to find out what happened to the Commander and the Chief…the only senior officer left on the station was Julian himself. This normally isn’t a problem. Unless a Cardassian Gul shows up and tries to take away his daughter.

“What? You don’t have the right! I _legally adopted_ Mila, she is my daughter-”

“In _Bajoran law_ , Doctor. But tell me, did you even _try_ to find her Cardassian father?”

Julian blinked, taken aback. It was unnerving, but Dukat had a point. He didn’t know if there were special legalities involving adopting for Cardassians, though he sincerely doubted it, he was the only case beyond Rugal and look how that case turned out… _actually_. “This is revenge for exposing your plan for Pa’Dar’s son, isn’t it.”

Dukat merely smiled at him and it made Julian’s skin crawl. He had to think of _something_. He’d researched everything he could about Mila’s file. Dropped off as a six month baby by presumably her Bajoran mother, the caretakers of the facility implied it was because she was the product of an _unwilling_ union. Which means that the father likely hadn’t stuck around, and no one was really interested in looking for him.

There was only one recourse, he had to buy time. “Fine, I’ll do a test, but I’d need to do it here.”

“Come now, Doctor, you won’t be able to access the databases from here-”

“Not without your authorization, no. But I’m not giving you a sample of her DNA and just _trusting_ you’ll actually find her _biological_ father.”

Now Dukat looked mildly intrigued, “Alright…I’ll bend this much. Though your lack of faith in my good interests _wounds_ me, Doctor.”

Julian could only scowl in response, “I’m _sure_ it does.”

Dukat made his way through ops towards Sisko’s office and called over his shoulder, “I’ll be waiting to hear from you once you have her genetic sample, Doctor.” Julian hadn’t considered impulses of violence before, in fact he tried to avoid it at all costs, but at that moment Julian really wanted to _throw something_ at Dukat’s head.

Turning to one of the security officers in the room he told them they needed to keep an eye on Dukat while he went to try and find a loophole. He almost smiled to himself, and who better to go to for a loophole than Garak?

~

It was hours later when everything came to a head. He’d had a long conversation with Garak in the back of his shop before he even went to Mila. If Garak could help before it became necessary to have Mila aware of this at all, it’d be better. Unfortunately, the only plan Garak said he could think of would require them to play along past the point Mila would find out.

That was not a fun conversation. Most especially because Mila had become somewhat…clingy after the incident with the T’Lani and the Kelleruns and his presumed death. Julian couldn’t find it in his heart to be upset by this at all, though it did make her panic attack about being taken away that much harder.

To calm her somewhat, he took her with him when he went to get access from Dukat. The man was sprawled in Sisko’s chair and was tossing his baseball back and forth. The sheer ease the man was radiating was both infuriating and worrisome. Just how foolproof was this plan?

The Cardassian looked up when Julian walked in with a smile that would look more at home on a snake. “Ah, so here’s the little girl I’ve heard so much about. Major Kira must really forgive me, they look an awful lot like each other.”

Julian didn’t want to take one step into that mess, and not for the first time that day wished that he wasn’t the only senior officer there. Mila thankfully didn’t back down, not showing an inch of the fear she’d had not even half an hour earlier. She glared at the Gul with the same fire he saw in Kira’s eyes and calm pose she’d started copying from Odo. The look made him smile before turning back to Dukat. “The access code, Gul?”

Dukat did not look nearly so charmed as Julian was. He sat up and started typing in the table console. After a moment, he waved a hand to Julian. “There, now your personal console in your medical office will have the clearance to search birth records. I warn you doctor, it will not last long, so you’d best get started.”

With Mila’s hand in his, Julian hadn’t bothered with more than a nod before he left. Hopefully Garak’s plan would come through in the few hours they had…

~

The rest of the command team had walked into Julian and Dukat shouting. Garak was standing to the side with Mila looking up at him wonderingly.

“You’re claiming that _Garak_ is the girl’s biological father? Just what sort of fool do you think I am?” Dukat roared. Julian did his best to put conviction into his words even as he saw how Garak wanted to reply to that last question.

“The tests _clearly_ show a genetic match, and I’m going off the database you gave me, Dukat! What more do you want?”

“Clearly?! There’s _no way_ Garak was on Bajor at the time, let alone sleeping with a _Bajoran woman_!”

“What is going on here.” The Commander’s voice was strained, dry and barely able to get above the sound of a whisper. Immediately Julian was relieved to see everyone was safe, but could only spare a moment.

“Commander-!”

“Commander Sisko! Finally back, just in time to settle a matter of great importance. Your officer has been trying to _lie_ to me-”

Sisko raised a hand to silence him, and walked over to collapse into his chair. He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes before pointing at Julian. “Explain.”

Julian shot Dukat a side look before stepping forward. “The Gul here has expressed a desire to find Mila’s biological father as he has…legal rights to custody. I insisted the tests be done here so I could oversee them and be sure there were ah, no tampering involved, sir.”

Sisko opened his eyes and blinked once, but said nothing.

With an awkward cough, Julian continued, “After many hours going through the database…I found that the genetic match was…Garak, sir.” Slowly Sisko shifted his gaze to Garak, who gave the commander a wide grin.

“Are you the father of Mila, Mister Garak?”

“The correct Cardassian term is Yadik. And I did have a _wild affair_ with a Bajoran housekeeper while I was working as a gardener for Pa’Dar. Unfortunately, after the attack that claimed Pa’Dar’s wife and believed son at the time, I too thought my dear had died with our young child. I spent _ages_ in grief, and finally had to leave Bajor altogether.” Garak was putting on such a splendid show, even pulling Mila close that Julian had to bite the inside of his cheek. Garak smiled and shot a look to Dukat before ending with, “Then our dear Doctor found not only young  _Rugal_ , but wouldn’t you know it, my daughter as well? Of course, I wasn’t sure until Doctor Bashir did the tests but I’m rather grateful he _did_. And as her biological father, I see no problems in sharing custody with the good Doctor.”

Sisko stared at Garak for a long moment and Julian knew that he wasn’t buying this outlandish lie. However, he nodded and said, “Very well. Congratulations.”

Dukat exploded in outrage.

“You cannot possibly accept this- this obvious _fallacy_!” he shouted, and Sisko abruptly stood with a growl.

The commander’s eyes were wide and he looked about two seconds from rounding the table and throwing a punch. “I am tired, dehydrated, and I’d really like a shower right now. I do not have the _patience_  to deal with you, _Gul Dukat_. So until you come back with solid evidence _otherwise_ , I am going to accept Mister Garak’s claim of paternity. Am I clear?”

Dukat looked thunderous and his words came out between clenched teeth, “Crystal. Good day, Commander.”

Julian was just feeling the stress leave him and was giving Garak such a grateful look when Dukat stopped at the door and turned around with a wide grin that sent chills through him. “Oh! I just remembered. If Garak is claiming Mila as his _family_ …that means she’ll share his fate. In exile. She will _never_ be welcomed on Cardassia.”

With a chipper nod, Dukat finally left the office. Julian wondered for a moment, if they would come to regret this in the future. Garak certainly didn’t look happy, in fact he looked about ready to apologize, but Mila spoke before anyone else could. “This means I can stay home, right?”

Not able to hold back a smile, Julian scooped Mila up in a hug and held her close, “This means that there’s no way for them to take you away any more, yes.” Mila nodded seriously and then looked over Julian’s shoulders at the man who’d saved her.

“Does this mean I call you Yadik now?”

Garak gave her a fond smile, “It’d be best my dear, if in public you did refer to me as such.” When a cough sounded they turned their attention back to the Commander who was looking dog tired and exasperated as he leaned with both hands on his desk.

“I _assume_ …you have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this.” When Julian opened his mouth to speak, Sisko raised a palm to stop him, “Some _other_ time. Right now, I need your services doctor, and then I’d like to go to bed.”

Julian set Mila down, getting into work mode now that the danger had passed, “Yes sir. Garak, could you watch Mila while I-?”

“It’d be my _pleasure_ , my dear Doctor. Ready to go, Mila?” Mila looked up at Garak with considering eyes, then nodded and raised a hand. Garak seemed mildly surprised by the action, but took her hand gently in his own.

“Ready to go, Yadik. Bye Daddy!” Julian couldn’t help the goofy smile on his face as he watched them exit Ops, even as he got to work scanning the Commander’s condition. Hopefully, this would be the last time someone would threaten to take Mila away from him.


End file.
